☏ 01305 267483

Blog

Living with a mental health issue is a challenge. While the rest of the world carries on like business as usual the individual can be wrestling with feelings of loneliness, low self-worth, severe anxiety or a host of other feelings specific to their issues.

The hustle and bustle of everyday life can make it easy for those with mental health issues to feel forgotten about. But what if you’re a child or young person in an environment where everyone around you seems to be perfectly happy, engaging with their schooling or their friends?

A cure is defined as something that relieves a person of the symptoms of a disease or condition.

Whilst there are some who subscribe to the notion that mental health issues are – in fact – mental illnesses, it is largely considered a disproved concept.

Although it’s true that medication can help individuals with mental health issues, altering the chemistry of the brain to stimulate – or suppress – the various cognitive centres only masks the problem, it doesn’t relieve anything.

It cannot be understated what a huge step it is to realise that you’re experiencing challenges. An even bigger one to access mental health services in order to do something about it.

Knowing which service to access or the level of support you need may feel bewildering at a time when you’re in real need for clarity.

We also advise that in the first instance you should consult your GP. Always be very clear with the receptionist that you’re experiencing mental health issues and they will do everything they can to get you seen as soon as possible.

Doctors, nutritionists and the media will regularly – and passionately – extoll the virtues of eating your five a day, cutting down on alcohol and red meat and the benefits of regular exercise. All to improve our physical health.

There isn’t a great deal said of our mental health.

Granted, the signs of physical ill-health are far more overt and potentially more life threatening. Conditions like obesity and diabetes cost the NHS £20 billion a year and that figure is expected to rise significantly over the next 30 years.

32% of single homeless people report mental health problems, 10 times more than the general population. There are services available to help and assist these people. Our infographic outlines the challenges homeless people face and the services available to assist them.

If you're worried that someone you know is at risk of homelessness or experiencing mental health issues, contact us and we will put you in touch with the right people.

It's important to remember that the post-Christmas period is challenging for everyone. However if you face low mood or depression, these months can be more difficult than most. Take a look at our infographic to help guide you through these darker months.

Anyone who remembers the US television series Nip Tuck will have some understanding of the crazy world of cosmetic surgery. Or at least a highly glamorised version with some truly bizarre plot twists thrown in.

What it highlighted however was a cultural obsession with perfection: the idea that an individual is somehow deficient or needs improving.

It’s important to understand that we are not slamming cosmetic surgery. There are times when it is entirely reasonable or even necessary to go under the knife for cosmetic reasons.

However, where cosmetic surgery becomes a problem or even a danger is when there is an overriding need to correct something the individual incorrectly perceives as critically flawed.

Living with a learning disabilities or enduring mental health issues can sometimes mean that a lot of decisions are made for you. Either because your challenges dictate no other choice or because whichever choice you make, the options are being provided by a number of different experts.

This isn’t necessarily a negative – providing you are made to feel like you also have the option of saying no too – but it can start to feel like your freedoms are being eroded through circumstance.